Source: Make Every Woman Count (MEWC)
Today, 31 July 2011, marks the 49th  celebration of African Women’s Day.  Although there has been progress in different African countries, some still lag behind and inequalities still remain.

There has been an active movement towards the achievement and realization of women’s rights over the past two decades in Africa. As of 2011, 51 out of the 53 (Sudan & Somalia) African countries have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). A success story can be found in Rwanda.  After a tumultuous past, Rwandan women are now on the forefront of society.  Women hold the majority of seats in parliament, HIV/AIDS and maternal mortality have been dramatically reduced, and women are taking the lead as business entrepreneurs.

A similar story could be found in Mali where a woman, Cisse Mariam Kaidama, was appointed to be the country’s new prime minister in April 2011, making her  the first woman to take on the top job in Malian politics.

Despite these advances, in Mali and Rwanda women often face discrimination and violence in their domestic and marital affairs, which are regarded as private matters. The reality is even harsher in Mali.  Although spousal abuse is prohibited by law, domestic violence is not expressly prohibited. Due to cultural traditions, women and law enforcement are unwilling to report cases of domestic violence. As indicated by UNICEF in 2009, nearly 85% percent of Malian women have been subjected to female genital mutilation (UNICEF, Information by Country, Mali).

Thirty years after the adoption of CEDAW, many women and girls still do not have equal opportunities to realize rights recognized by law. In some countries, women are denied the right to own property or inherit land. They face social exclusion, “honor killings”, FGM, trafficking, restricted mobility and early marriage, among others. In conflict riddled areas like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Ivory Coast, Darfur region in Sudan, women are raped as a weapon of war with no impunity.

The lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services, including access to family planning, pre and post-natal care, emergency obstetric services and access to information are among the biggest challenges that women face in Africa.  Pregnancy-related complications are the leading cause of death for women in Africa. It is unacceptable in the 21st century for a woman to die while giving birth. Society needs to be fixed so that girls and women can have equal access to health information and services, education, employment and political positions.

In Africa girls and women aged between 15 and 24 are as much as eight times as likely as men their age to become infected with HIV, this is partly due to their economic and social vulnerability. (UNAID Global Report on the Global Aid Epidemic 2010)

Despite the growth of girls' primary education in recent years, in many countries, only fewer girls complete secondary school. Boys still out number girls in higher education, which is one of the main obstacles to gender equality in Africa.

The adoption of the African women’s Decade 2010-2011 by the African Union puts women at the centre of every initiative that will be undertaken by governments, African Union, or International organisations in Africa. This decade is an opportunity for African governments to put resources aside to strengthen institutions and implement existing legal frameworks, resolutions and declarations on women’s rights, education, empowerment and equality for all. Security, safety and basic human rights for all women need to be fully implemented by African governments. It is time for African governments to put their promises into actions.

In 2003, the AU passed The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), which guarantees comprehensive rights to women including the right to take part in the political process, to social and political equality with men, to control of their reproductive health and an end to female genital mutilation. As of July 2011, only 31 countries have ratified the Protocol. 

The realization of women’s rights is based on universal human rights and the rule of law. We need to continue the struggle to end traditions, practices and laws that harm women in Africa. Despite the progress that has been made on the Africa continent in terms of legislation, the reality in implementation remains a huge disappointment and all actors, both state and non-state actors are obliged in ensuring that women’s rights matter and that laws passed actually have an impact on the lives of the people.

We need to ensure that gains made in women’s political mobilization, advocacy and government representation actually reflect a substantial change in the lives of ordinary women, which is still far from a reality.

The story is the same for many African women.  While some countries have overcome gender inequality, all women still face discrimination in some form. These examples make us realise that although progress has been made, discrimination still persists and some countries fail to protect the basic rights of women.

This is why we need a day, an African Women’s Day, to remind us that we must march forward, year after year, and demand equality in all aspects of a woman’s life.